Environmentalist (2007) 27:329335 DOI 10.

1007/s10669-007-9032-9

Production of vermifertilizer from guar gum industrial wastes by using composting earthworm Perionyx sansibaricus (Perrier)
Surendra Suthar

Published online: 6 July 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007

Abstract Efforts have been made to convert the guar gum industrial waste into a value-added product, by employing a new earthworm species for vermicomposting e.g. Perionyx sansibaricus (Perrier) (Megascolecidae), under laboratory conditions. Industrial lignocellulosic waste was amended with other organic supplements (saw dust and cow dung); and three types of vermibeds were prepared: guar gum industrial waste + cow dung + saw dust in 40: 30: 30 ratio (T1), guar gum industrial waste + cow dung + saw dust in 60: 20: 20 ratio (T2,), and guar gum industrial waste + cow dung + saw dust in 75: 15: 10 ratio (T3). As compared to initial concentrations, vermicomposts exhibited a decrease in organic C content (5.011.3%) and C:N ratio (11.1 24.4%) and an increase in total N (18.422.8%), available P (39.792.4%), and exchangeable K (9.419.7%) contents, after 150 days of vermicomposting. A vermicomposting coefcient (VC) was used to compare of vermicomposting with the experimental control (composting). P. sansibaricus exhibited maximum value of mean individual live weight (742.8 21.1 mg), biomass gain (442.94 21.8 mg), growth rate (2.95 0.15 mg day1), cocoon numbers (96.0 5.1) and reproduction rate (cocoons worm1 day1) (0.034 0.001) in T2 treatment. In T3 maximum mortality (30.0 4.01 %) in earthworm population was observed. Overall, T2 vermibed appeared as an ideal substrate to manage guar gum industrial waste effectively. Vermicomposting can be proposed as a low-input basis technology to convert industrial waste into value-added biofertilizer.

Keywords Earthworm Vermicomposting Perionyx sansibaricus Industrial waste Cocoon Cow dung Saw dust

1 Introduction Agriculture, food-processing, pulp and paper, or any cellulose-based industry produces massive quantities of solid and liquid waste materials. Disposal and environmental friendly management of these industrial wastes has become a serious global problem. The traditional disposal methods such as open dumping and or/land lling practices of these materials is not only increasingly expensive, but impractical as open space becomes limited. Therefore, in recent years the focus has been to develop low input eco-friendly technologies to manage industrial waste resources. Some agro-industrial wastes contain a large amount of plant nutrients. These materials can be utilized efciently as soil conditioner for sustainable soil fertility management by converting the waste to a resource. Some species of epigeic earthworms can live in decaying organic waste materials and convert it to odor free, ne particulate materials high in available nutrient (Marsh et al., 2005; Suthar 2006; 2007a). Earthworm accelerates the transformation of organic waste material into more stabilized forms by aeration and bioturvation, by their excreta and qualitative or quantitative inuence upon the telluric microora (Vinceslas-Akpa and Loquest 1997). The utility of epigeic earthworms for successful degradation of organic wastes is well documented for different industries such as: paper and pulp (Elvira et al. 1997; 1998); dairy (Gratelly et al. 1996); sugar processing (Kale 1998; Reddy and Shantaram 2005); winery and distillery (Nogales et al. 2005); wood and wood chips (Maboeta and

S. Suthar (&) Environmental Biology Lab, Post Graduate Department of Zoology, S.G.N. Khalsa (PG) College, Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan 335 001, India e-mail: sutharss_soilbiology@yahoo.co.in

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van Rensburg 2003); textile mills (Kaushik and Garg 2004; Garg and Kaushik 2005); oil (Benitez et al. 2002) and power (y ash) (Gupta et al. 2005). However, compared to thermal composting, vermicomposting with earthworms often produces a product with a lower mass, lower processing time, humus content, phytotoxicity is less likely, more N is released, fertilizer value is usually greater, and an additional product (earthworms), which can have other uses is produced (Lorimor et al. 2001). Therefore, vermicomposting seems to be more appropriate and an efcient technology to convert industrial waste to a valuable community resources at low input basis. However, the composting efciency and biology of only a few epigeic earthworm species has been studied e.g. Eisenia foetida (Maboeta and van Rensburg 2003; Kaushik and Garg 2004; Gupta et al. 2005), E. andrei (Elvira et al. 1997, 1998; Nogales et al. 2005; Benitez et al. 2002) and Eudrilus eugeniae (Kale 1998). Unfortunately, the potential of some commonly distributed tropical earthworms for industrial waste degradation has not been explored. Perionyx sansibaricus (Perrier) is an epigeic earthworm, considered endemic to Indian soils, and commonly distributed in many natural soil ecosystems. Recently Suthar (2007a) reported on the vermicomposting potential of this species to address issue of waste generated from different industries i.e. crop residues, animal dung from dairy, household waste, municipal waste. The guar gum is an agricultural based industrial product. It is mainly acquired from a cereal plant i.e. Cyamposis tetragonoloba Linn. There are more than 2000 guar gum industrial units only in Rajasthan State, India producing guar gum for use in pharmaceutical and chemical industries. These guar gum industries are producing a great quantity of lingocellulogic waste material, that could be transformed from an expensive disposal problem to suitable vermistabilised humus for food production and soil restoration. The objectives of this study were, to test the potential of a new earthworm species for vermicomposting i.e. P. sansibaricus (Perrier) to manage industrial waste resources and to establish an appropriate technology (vermitechnolgy) to manage the lignocelluloses waste generated from a guar gum industry. Ultimately, we wanted to produce vermicompost of high nutritive value, with a sustainable population of earthworm.

India. Collected worms were brought to the laboratory in plastic circular containers, and were cultured on partially composted organic material (cow dung mixed with leaf litter of Mangifera indica). When the population reached a sufcient size (after one months), the earthworms were used for experimentation. 2.2 Industrial waste and other supplement material The industrial waste was collected from Rajasthan Guar gum Ltd., RICCO Industrial Area, Jodhpur, India. It was collected in large plastic containers and brought to the laboratory. The main characteristics of guar gum industrial waste were: 7.10 pH, 454.46 g kg1 organic C, 28.17 g kg1 total N, 15.6 g kg1 available P, 3.92 g kg1 exchangeable K, and 16.2 C:N ratio. The excess moisture was removed by shade drying for about 3 days. After shade drying, material was dried at 60C in hot air oven, chopped and sieved (<2 mm). The Cow dung was obtained from Boranada Dairy Farm, Ghanchi Colony, Jodhpur, India. The saw dust used was collected from Jodhpur Timbers, RICCO industrial area, Jodhpur, India. These materials were chopped and sieved and shade dried prior to use in vermicomposting trials. 2.3 Vermicomposting experimental Plastic circular containers (28 cm diameter and 30 cm in depth) with pierced lids for aeration were used for laboratory screening of guar gum industrial wastes. The guar gum industrial waste was mixed with the supplements (saw dust and cow dung) in different ratios to provide three treatments (Table 1). The organic substrate served as bedding as well as food for the earthworms. Experimental beddings were kept in triplicate for each treatment, and same another triplicate for each treatment without earthworms served as the experimental control. All beddings were kept for 2 weeks prior to experimentation for thermal stabilization, initiation of microbial degradation and softening of waste. Twenty 4-wk old clitellate, P. sansibaricus (live weight of individual %300 mg) were collected from the stock culture and released into different containers containing 750 g (on dry weight basis) of substrate material. The moisture level of containers was maintained about 6570%, throughout the study period by periodic sprinkling of adequate quantity of tap water. To prevent moisture loss, the experimental pots were covered with paddy straw. Containers were placed in a humid and dark room at a temperature 26.3 0.39C (average of the temperature recorded during experimental duration SEm). Vermibeds were analyzed for chemical changes (organic C, total N, available P, exchangeable K and C:N ratio) after each 30 day interval up to 150 days. Different growth parameters like earthworm biomass; total cocoon production and

2 Materials and methods 2.1 Earthworm culture The Perionyx sansibaricus (Perrier) (Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae) used in this study were collected from a sewage sludge situated in Nehru garden, Jodhpur city,

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Environmentalist (2007) 27:329335 Table 1 Composition of experimental bedding Treatment Treatment description GIWa (40%)d + CDb (30%) + SDc (30%) GIWa (60%)c + CDb (20%) + SD (20%) GIWa (75%)c + CDb (15%) + SD (10%) Guar gum industrial waste (GIW) Cow dung (CD) Saw dust (SD) The gures in parentheses indicates the percent content in the initial substrate material Guar gum industrial waste (g) 300.0 450.0 562.5 Cow dung (g) 225.0 150.0 112.5

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Saw dust (g) 225.0 150.0 75.0

T1 T2 T3
a b c d

total mortality in different experimental containers were measured at the same interval. The vermicomposting coefcients for different chemical parameters were calculated by following formula (Suthar 2006):

These variables included chemical properties and earthworm growth parameters (earthworm weight gain, individual growth rate, total cocoons numbers, cocoon production rate, and total population mortality.

VC

Total increase=decrease in during vermicomposting treatment Total increase=decrease in during composting control

2.4 Chemical analysis The chemical parameters of the bedding material (Table 2) and vermicompost produced during experiment were analyzed by using standard methods. Organic carbon was determined by the partially-oxidation method (Walkley and Black 1934). Total Kjeldhal nitrogen was measure by following method as described by Anderson and Ingram (1993). Potassium was determined after extracting the sample using ammonium acetate and analyzing of with a Perkin-Elmer model 3110 double beam atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS).

3 Results and discussions 3.1 Chemical changes during vermicomposting As summarized in Table 3, the vermicomposting process caused signicant changes (P < 0.01) in the chemistry of the three treatments, after 150 days of experimentation. As compared to the initial values (Table 2), pH of the substrate declined in the order 10.53% (T3) > 6.39% (T2) > 2.83% (T1). As compared to control bedding vermicomposted material showed about 664.9, 231.1 and 1383.1 % more reduction in pH values of the T1, T2 and T3 treatment, respectively. It is concluded that the shifting in pH could be attributed to microbial decomposition during the process of vermicomposting. Elvira et al. (1998) suggested that production of CO2 and organic acids by microbial decomposition during vermicomposting lowers the pH of substrate. Similarly, Ndegwa et al. (2000) pointed out that shifting of pH could be related to the mineralization of the nitrogen and phosphorous into nitrites/nitrates and orthophosphates and

2.5 Statistical analysis One-way ANOVA procedures were applied to the data to determine signicant differences. Duncans multiple-ranged test was also performed to identify the homogeneous type of the treatments for the various assessment variables.

Table 2 Chemical composition (g kg1) of different treatments (n = 3, mean SEm) used for experiment Treatment T1* T1* T3* pH 8.12 0.8 8.29 0.2 8.45 0.3 Organic C 481.9 1.1 463.3 0.5 436.4 0.8 Total N 15.4 0.1 19.8 0.1 20.1 0.1 Available P 2.5 0.0 2.6 0.2 2.8 0.2 Exchangeable K 11.5 0.2 15.6 0.4 18.6 0.3 C:N ratio 31.3 0.1 23.4 0.4 18.9 0.1 C:P ratio 192.0 1.4 175.5 1.2 154.6 0.6

* Refer to Table 1, for explanation of treatments

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332 Experiment 5.1 0.05b 3.9 0.02b 3.9 0.02a

Environmentalist (2007) 27:329335

bioconversion of the organic material into intermediate species of the organic acids. In T3 mortality of worms occurred and highly contributed to the pH shift possibly due to higher content of ammonium N. Earthworm tissues may be efcient source of nitrogen when cells lyses. Vermicomposting decreased organic C content in the three treatments. Comparatively organic C loss (as compared to the initial levels (Table 2)) was 11.3% in T2 treatment, 10.42% in T1, and 4.98% in T3 treatments. Vermicomposting efciency of P. sansibaricus was also evaluated by using a vermicomposting coefcient (VC). VCcarbon was highest in T3 (Table 4). Vermicomposting refers to the breakdown of organic matter by earthworm and subsequent microbial degradation. Earthworm modify substrate conditions, which consequently affects carbon losses from substrates through microbial respiration in the form of CO2 and even through mineralization of organic C. Body uids and excreta, secreted by earthworms, (e.g. mucous, high concentration of organic matter, ammonium and urea) promote microbial communities in vermicomposting sub-system. Earthworm activity signicantly decrease organic C levels in waste and accelerates waste stabilization process (Suthar 2006, 2007a; Garg and Kaushik 2004). At the end of the experiment, the total N content in vermicompost was higher than that in the initial material. Comparatively the maximum increase in total N content occurred in T3 (22.81%), followed by T1 (18.42%), and T2 treatment (22.81%) (Table 3). Vermicomposting coefcient for total N (VCnitrogen) was highest in T1 treatment (Table 4). Earthworms enrich the vermibed with nitrogen through excretory products, mucous, enzymes, and growth stimulating hormones and even by decaying earthworm tissue after their death. Studies revealed that decomposition of organic material by earthworms accelerates the N mineralization process and subsequently changes the N prole of the substrate (Elvira et al. 1997; Benitez et al. 2002; Suthar 2007a). However, the greater concentration of total N in T3 treatment was not related to decomposition or nitrication activity. It was related more likely to the higher earthworm mortality that enriched the bedding with N content due to decaying earthworm tissue. In general, earthworm contains about 6070% (of dry mass) protein in their body tissue, and this pool of N returned to the soil upon mineralization. Satchell (1967) reported that over 70% of the N in the tissues of dead earthworm was mineralized in less than 20 days. However, decomposition activities and nitrogen enrichment by earthworms also depend upon the quality of the substrate material. After vermicomposting, all vermibeds showed higher concentrations of available P in end product. Available P was highest in T2 treatment (92.42% increase) followed by T1 (54.98%) and T3 (39.72%) (Table 3). According to Lee

Available P

3.2 0.02

3.5 0.03
b

3.5 0.03

Control

111.0 0.38b 127.1 0.64

18.3 0.03a

80.9 1.56a 113.9 1.03

Table 3 Chemical composition of control (compost) and experiment (vermicompost) at the end (n = 3, mean SEm)

Total N

C:P ratio

109.1 0.64

15.8 0.03

20.3 0.08

23.6 0.04

Control

Control

103.8 0.07a

23.1 0.83

Experiment

24.7 0.03

Experiment

Mean values followed by different letters are statistically different (ANOVA, Duncan multiple-ranged test; P < 0.05 1 Controlcompost proceed without worms

431.7 0.45b

410.7 5.03

414.6 2.20

23.6 0.02b 26.0 0.09 13.2 0.03b

17.9 0.81a 19.4 0.06 18.6 0.26a

411.6 0.69

403.1 0.47

389.7 2.04

Organic C

C:N ratio

7.89 0.50b

Experiment

7.76 0.82

7.56 0.94

Experiment

20.4 0.06

16.5 0.05

Control

Control

16.3 0.04

Experiment

Experiment

* Refer to Table 1, for explanation of treatments

Treatment

Treatment

T1*

T2*

T3*

T1*

T1*

T3*

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Experimentvermicompost proceed with worms

Exchangeable K

8.09 0.80

8.13 0.42

8.39 0.11

12.9 0.03

17.2 0.03

pH

19.9 0.03

Control

Control

Environmentalist (2007) 27:329335 Table 4 Vermicomposting coefcient (VC) for different chemical parameters * Refer to Table 1, for explanation of treatments

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Treatment T1* T2* T3*

VC

Carbon

VC

Nitrogen

VC

Phosphorous

VC

Potassium

VC

C-to-N

VC

C-to-P

1.05 1.02 1.06

1.15 1.14 1.05

1.20 1.44 1.13

1.03 1.08 1.03

1.10 1.08 1.01

1.14 1.41 1.05

(1992) the passes of organic residue through the gut of earthworm, results in phosphorous converted to forms, which are more available to plants. The release of phosphorous in forms available to plants is mediated by phosphatages, which are produced in earthworms gut. Further release of P may occur by P-solubilizing bacteria in casts. Recently Suthar (2007a) reported about 36115% increment in available P content, after inoculation of wastes (some agriculture and municipal waste resources) with earthworms. Earthworm gut ora provides enzymes required for P metabolism. These enzymes release phosphorous form ingested waste material. However, the vermicomposting coefcient for phosphorous (VCphosphorous) was highest in T2, which clearly indicates the suitability of this industrial waste treatment for better recovery of plant metabolites. Potassium increase for different vermibeds was registered in the order: T2 (19.67%) > T1 (15.53%) > T3 treatment (9.39%), after 150 days of vermicomposting (Table 3). The vermicomposting coefcient for potassium (VCpotassium) was highest in T2 (Table 4). It is clear that plant nutrients in organic material are released by the combined action of earthworm and microorganisms during mineralization process, in vermicomposting system. Delgado et al. (1995) reported higher potassium content in vermicompost produced from sewage sludge. The present result is similar to those by Suthar (2007a), who reported excellent increase in exchangeable content in vermicompost. The C:N ratio is considered as an important indicator of compost maturity. In this study maximum decrease in the value of C:N ratio was noted in T1 (24.35% decrease) followed by T2 (23.59%), and T3 (11.08%). The C:N ratio in end product reects the decreasing of C and simultaneously enhancement of higher proportion of total N and ionic protein content in the vermicompost. It is concluded

that in vermicomposting sub system, the loss of carbon as carbon dioxide due to respiratory activities of earthworms and associated microora, and simultaneously increment in N-content of substrate through earthworms activities (i.e. production of mucus, enzymes and nitrogenous excrements) lowers the C:N ratio of the substrate (Kale 1998; Garg and Kaushik 2005; Suthar 2007b. 3.2 Earthworm growth, cocoon production and mortality during experimentation Vermicomposting is also considered in terms of production patterns of earthworm biomass and numbers of cocoon. Vermicomposting converts a portion of the organics matter (OM) into worm biomass and respiration products, and excrete some of the ingested on as partially stabilized product i.e., vermicompost. For this study, mean individual live weight (F = 85.92, P < 0.01), mean growth rate of an individual (mg/day) (F = 93.75, P < 0.01), individual biomass gain (F = 99.97, P < 0.01), total cocoon numbers (42.24, P < 0.01), and reproduction rate (cocoon worm1 day1) (F = 17.39, P < 0.01) varied substantially among different treatments. As summarized in Table 5, the live weight (742.80 21.1 mg) of earthworms as well as growth rate (mg wt. worm day1) 2.95 0.15 were highest in T2 treatment. P. sansibaricus exhibited highest weight gain in T2 followed by T1 and T3 (Table 5). The weight gain for individuals in T2 treatment was %45 and 84% higher than for those in T1 and T3, respectively. Studies revealed that the factors relating to the growth of earthworms may also be considered in terms of physiochemical and nutrient characteristics of waste feed stocks (Kale 1998; Edwards et al. 1998; Suthar 2007b). Organic waste palatability for earthworms is directly related to the chemical nature of the waste material that consequently

Table 5 Individual biomass, mean growth rate and mortality in different treatments (n = 3, mean SEm) Treatment Mean individual biomass (mg) Start T1* T2* T3* 304.2 2.7 299.9 1.0 302.8 3.0 End 610.8 10.3b 742.8 21.1c 546.0 12.3
a

Net weight gain earthworm1 (mg) 306.6 7.6b 442.9 21.8c 241.2 10.1
a

Mean growth of individual (mg day1) 2.0 0.1b 3.0 0.2c 1.7 0.1
a

Total population mortality (%) 16.7 2.4b 5.0 4.1a 30.0 4.0c

* Refer to Table 1, for explanation of treatments Mean values followed by different letters are statistically different (ANOVA, Duncan multiple-ranged test; P < 0.05)

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334 Table 6 Reproduction pattern of P. sansibaricus (mean SD, n = 3) in different treatments Bedding Total number of cocoons produced 53.3 8.4a 96.0 5.1 39.0 5.4
b a

Environmentalist (2007) 27:329335

Cocoon production (cocoon worm1) 3.2 0.5a 5.1 0.1 2.8 0.5
b a

Net reproduction rate (cocoon worm1 day1) 0.02 0.004a 0.03 0.001b 0.02 0.003a

T1* T2* T3*

* Refer to Table 1, for explanation of treatments Mean Value followed by different letters is statistically different (ANOVA; Duncan multiple-ranged test, P < 0.05)

affects the earthworm growth and reproduction parameters. Garg and Kaushik (2005) concluded that growth performance of Eisenia foetida was related directly to the quality of the feed stock. Numbers of cocoons produced during vermicomposting varied signicantly among the different beddings. In T2 treatment the cocoon numbers for P. sansibaricus (96.0 5.10) (Table 6) were %80 and 146% higher than for worms in T1 and T3, respectively. Despite noticeable differences between T1 and T3 but they were not statistically different (F = 0.068). The cocoon production rate (cocoon worm1 day1) was highest (0.034 0.15) in T2. The difference in cocoon production rate between T1 and T3 was not statistically signicant (F = 0.348). Edwards et al. (1998) and Suthar (2006) concluded that the important difference between the rates of cocoon production in the two organic wastes must be related to the quality of the waste. The variability in earthworm biomass gain and reproduction rate different treatments was probably related to the palatability, microbiology as well as the chemistry of the feeding stuff. The difference in cocoon production patterns among different treatment suggest a physiological trade-off (Streans 1992) related to N-limitations. Recently Suthar (2007a) demonstrated that earthworm growth and reproduction rate is related to initial N-content of the substrate. Present results are conrmatory. 3.3 Treatment for optimum results of industrial waste treatment During the process of vermicomposting, the suitability of the tested substrate mainly depends on fold increase in essential plant nutrients, lowering of toxicants, earthworm biomass as well as reproduction performance, and even less mortality in tested earthworm species. Of the ve chemical parameters measured, three were highest in T2 vermibeds as reected by the vermicomposting coefcient (Table 4). Moreover, the earthworms individual live weight and biomass gain, cocoon numbers, and individual reproduction rates were also highest for the T2 bedding. This clearly indicates that the biochemical environment in this bedding was more acceptable than that for the other two treatments. T2 treatment was found to be an ideal for humication and

mineralization of plant metabolites. We suggest that nitrogen; organic matter content and microbial populations in this vermibed enhance conditions for earthworms. Result also suggests that proportions of amendment materials (cow dung and saw dust) were more acceptable to earthworms in terms of palatability. Guar gum industrial wastes contain a relatively high concentration of ammonia that adversely affects earthworms. Ammonium levels could be tempered by supplementing the waste with materials of high C:N ratio such as saw dust.

4 Conclusions Recycling of guar gum industrial waste through vermicomposting not only accelerated the mineralization of complex nutrients into more available forms for plants. The waste when amended with sawdust or cow dung for a mixture there was a good growth media for earthworms. These organic supplements create a favorable chemical environment which consequently affects the waste reduction by increasing efciency of earthworm. Vermicomposting transfers energy rich and complex organic substances into a product which has a relatively high content of humus-like compounds for sustainable plant production and land restoration practices.
Acknowledgements The author is grateful to three anonymous reviewers for valuable comments and careful revision of the manuscript.

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